Dunkin’ Donuts has issued an apology and is removing an ad that features a person in blackface. The ad, which promotes the chain’s charcoal donut, appeared in Thailand:

Karen Raskopf, the chief communications officer for Dunkin’ Brands, told the New York Daily News the campaign for the dark chocolate donuts was indeed “insensitive”:

On behalf of our Thailand franchise and our company, we apologize for any offense it caused.  We are working with our franchaisee to immediately pull the television spot and to change the campaign.

Apparently, not everyone within the Dunkin’ Donuts organization sees eye-to-eye with the company’s decision to pull the plug on the blackface campaign. Nadim Salhani, Dunkin Donut’s Thailand CEO, told the Bangkok Post, “It’s absolutely ridiculous. We’re not allowed to use black to promote our doughnuts? I don’t get it. What’s the big fuss?  What if the product was white and I painted someone white, would that be racist?

Read more at News One.

Should Dunkin’ Donuts have removed the ad? Is blackface offensive, no matter the context? If consumers in Thailand aren’t offended by it, should Dunkin’ Donuts have removed the ad? Thoughts? Sound off below!!!!